Secretary-General of ASEAN: observing global rules

Berlin and Jakarta, the city where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is headquartered, are almost 11,000 kilometres apart, as the crow flies. However, what happens in the Indo-Pacific has an impact on the security situation in Germany and Europe, and vice-versa. The two regions have been in close contact for a long time. Germany and ASEAN can look back on ten years of development partnership. The German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH spoke to the ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn about this cooperation. The Cambodian diplomat is also attending the Munich Security Conference at which the partnership is to be discussed. 

Talking to giz.de, Kao Kim Hourn stressed the partners shared values and interests: “Germany and Europe have been strong proponents and supporters of multilateralism,” the Secretary-General of ASEAN pointed out. “It is important that we play by the rules; that is also the ASEAN rule of engagement - to abide by international law.”

Kao Kim Hourn said that multilateralism was essential to peace, stability, security and development. “If we move away from that, then what do we stand on? The world is so uncertain now, so unpredictable, and we should not contribute to this volatile and violent world today”, the diplomat stated. He continued by saying that the global institutions “may not be perfect” but that “we must work together to reform and to make them better, not to abandon them”.

Kao Kim Hourn believes that it is very meaningful that the partnership with Germany has been going on for ten years. “We can say that the relationship is based on trust, mutual respect, shared interest and spirit of collaboration and cooperation.” 

You can read the full interview with the ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn at giz.de.